Window-shade bracket.



No. 812,262. PATENTED FEB. 13, 1906.

A. B. DUNKLB.

WINDOW SHADE BRACKET. APPLICATION FILED 0OT.15,1903.

ABRAM B. DUNKLE, OF STEELTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

WINDOW-SHADE BRACKET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13, 1906.

Application filed October 15,1903. Serial No- 177,191.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ABRAM B. DUNKLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Steelton, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Window-Shade Bracket, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in brackets or supports for windowshades, curtain-rods, and the like, and has for its principal object to provide a novel form of curtain-holder that may be readily secured in position and in which the distance between a pair of brackets or holders may be readily adjusted for the support of curtains or rods of different length.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a bracket or holder of that class in which a pair of holders are secured to a connectingrod with a base portion formed of flexible metal that may be readily bent in such manner as to clamp against the rod without the employment of tools, the holders being preferably so formed and placed on the market that one side of the base may be engaged over one edge of the rod and the other bent around the rod by the fingers to firmly clamp the bracket in place.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bracket with a base portion in which one or both ends of the base are rendered freely flexible by cutting away a portion of the metal without materially weakening the base or its engagement with the connectingbar.

A still further object of the invention is to construct the brackets in such manner that the position of the shade-roller may be readily reversed end for end, so that its spring winding-rod may be placed at either side of a window without altering the position of the brackets.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size, and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a pair of brackets constructed in accordance with the invention and illustrating the same engaged with the connecting-bar. Fig. 2 is a slmllar view showing one of the brackets detached and in the shape in which it is placed on the market. Figs. 3 and 4 are views similar to Fig. 2, illustrating slight modifications of the invention. Fig. 5 is an elevation with the bar in section, showing the manner in which a base of the character shown in Fig. 4 may be clamped on the bar. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view illustrating a still further modification of the invention. Fig. 7 is a erspective view illustrating a further modi cation.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In the drawings, 1 designates a connecting bar, to which the brackets are to be secured, the brackets being disposed at a distance apart governed by the length of the shaderoller or the curtain-rod, and the connecting bar is then secured to the window-frame in any desired manner. The brackets are arranged in pairs, one being secured at or near one end of the bar and the other at the opposite end of said bar, and in each of the brackets is an opening 3 for the reception of the round pintle usually projecting from the shade-roller and a slot 4, having parallel walls for engaging a non-circular portion of the spring-rod of the roller, so that the position of the shade-roller may be reversed end for end in order that the curtain may be placed close to the window-sash or may be moved to a distance therefrom in accordance with the direction of winding of the roller.

The bracket is formed of stamped sheet metal of which the base 5 is of sufficient length to nearly or quite encircle the connecting-bar and of sufficient width to present an extensive surface to the bar and hold the bracket steady under the strain to which it is subjected while the curtain is being raised or lowered.

In devices of this class as usually constructed the base portions which enclasp the connecting-bar are formed of sheet metal bent at the factory to finished shape, and the metal is so heavy that the base portions cannot be readily straightened out and clamped on the bar in the desired position. It is necessary to slide the bracketslongitudinally of the con necting-bar until the desired position is reached and then secure the same in position by means of a screw or brad. In such cases the adjustment of the brackets scratch'jor mar the finished "surface of theconn'e'cting bar, or if the base fitted looselyto the bar the bracket would not be firm enough toresist thestrain. In the present case these dlfiiculties are overcome byconstructing the base" portions in such manner as to permit of the at,

taching of the bases to the connecting-bars at any desired point and practically without the aid of tools, the bases being weakened, so that theyrnay be readily clamped around the bar bythe fingersand the connection in' most cases being sufliciently firm to render the use of auxiliary fastenings unnecessaryj butas a? matter of precaution eachbas'e'is provided. with a small opening, 6, through a brad or, other securing device may b'e'fp a ssed." In

weakening the base an intermediate portion maybe cut outto'form aspacej and sidebars 8, connected by a transverse bar 9, the s de bars or strips being in alinement with the longer edges of the base, so that'when bent aroundthe connecting-bar the stability of the bracket will not be affected, inasmuch the widely-separated. edges extend throughout the length of the base and form bindingpoints, which-tend to bite into thebar when the bracket is subjected to strain If the pressure or strain on the bracket is lateral or in a direction longitudinally of the shaderoller, as oftenhappenswherethe shade is unevenly wound, the widened placeslwill form arrigid brace for the bracket and preyent its bending to such an extent as to allow the roller-pintles to escape. In some cases the cross bar orstrip may be omitted and the side bars only retained, as showntin Fig. 3,

and this in somecases will be convenient, es

pecially in attaching brackets formed of heavy metal, where the strips or bars may be sepa rately bent by hand tothe desired position.

The base portion may also beforrned in the manner shown in Fig. 4, wherein one end of the base is of the construction shownin Fig. 2, while the oppositeend isin the form of a tongue 10, which may be passed through the loop formed at the oppositeend of the base and interengage therewith in suchmanner as to form a positiyelock, as shown in Fig. 5,

ened by the removal of a portion of the metal, as shown in Fig. 6, or if sufliciently light the metal may be continuous for the full width of the'tongue; or the full-width tongue may receive its bend at the factory, and thus render it' necessary to bend the side bars or strips in attaching the bracket to the connecting-bar. I

- In Fig. 7 is illustrated a still furthermodification of the invention, a single flexible bar or strip 8 being employed at a point interme diate of the width of the base.

With a device ofthis character it will be seen thatthe brackets may be applied to the connecting-bar in the exact position in which they are to be secured and the ends of the bases thenbe'nt in such manner as to embrace or partly embrace the connectingbar, so that it will be unnecessary to slide the brackets longitudinally of the bar, as commonly practiced.

In placing the articles in themarket it is preferred for convenience to previously bend one of the ends of the base portion in the manner shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, so that it ismerely necessary to slip this bent end from the rod, and after adjusting thebracket to proper position the opposite end is readily bent by hand in order to secure the bracket in place.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 5 1. As a new article of manufacture, a window-shade bracket having roller-engaging means and provided with anelongated baseplate, the upper end of which is bent in readiness to be suspended on a supporting strip or bar, the lower end of-said-base-plate being weakened by the removal of a portion of the metal to form a bar or strip that may be bent by the fingers in a direction transverse of the length of the base. 2. As a new article of manufacture, a win dow-shade bracket formed of apiece of sheet metal bent to form an elongated base, and a shaderollersupporting arm at an angle to thebase, one end of the base, from a point ad,- jacent to the juncture of the latter with the arm, being bent in readiness to engage a supporting strip or-bar, and the opposite end of.

the base being weakened by cutting away a portion of the metal, thereby to form a manually-bendable portion, substantially as speci- In'testimony-that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signaturein thepresence of two witnesses.

- ABRAM B. DUNKLE.

witnessesz' J. H. JocHUM, Jr., J. Ross CoLHoUN. 

